Ma. Lorena Barros – A Great Filipina

I translated and adapted this article from WikiPilipinas for my Basic Filipino class and so I claim no copyright ownership over the ideas contained in it. I just needed a reading for “intertexuality” (aka to relate) with the Lualhati Bautista’s novel Dekada ’70 which is discussed in 3rd year Filipino for the 4th quarter. However, no article of suitable length about Lorena and written in the Filipino language exists on the internet. Or maybe my search skills failed me.

A background: I first encountered the person of Lorena through the book “Six Young Filipino Martyrs” when, I think, I was in college. Her life and five others were sources of inspiration for me from then on. At times, I even wonder how different our society would have been had Martial Law and its after effects not snuffed out these lives so early. Perhaps, we would have an entirely different set of politicians steering our country.

I originally planned to use an article on Lean Alejandro, because his story is also apt for my purposes. However, given that the heroine of Dekada, Amanda Bartolome is a woman, more possible relationships between the two readings can be made and mined.

Note: In translating the document, I have to consider my student’s abilities. Some terms were, therefore, used not because I thought they exactly capture the meaning of the original but because they are easier to understand, i.e. they are not too big for a student who learned Filipino as a third language. The same principle is followed in translating the sentences.

About julesphilipa teacher who is still in the process of discerning whether he'll stay in this way of life, answer a lifelong call to become a diocesan priest, or take on the responsibility of being a steward of his parents' legacy. may his experiences assist him in making a decision for the greater love for God.